Pumpkins have a bad rap. The (much ridiculed) “pumpkin spice” everything starts emerging around August now, and persists until the holidays. Halloween jack-o-lanterns sag and mold on porches until carted to the curb.

Apparently, though, the pumpkins that were just intended as fall decorations on people’s porches had a perfect preservation storm this fall. The weather was cool but not freezing, and the squirrels who usually munch on these easy targets had enough acorns and other tempting goodies to keep them happy. Thus, spurring my one-woman quest to Save the Pumpkins!

To make a rather long story shorter… I noticed a lot of pumpkins just hanging out on porches, even as holiday wreaths started appearing on doors. One neighbor even repurposed a couple of pumpkins into holiday decor by spray painting them gold, so Martha Stewart!

I sent a plea on our neighborhood listserve for any pumpkins still intact, saying I would use them for cooking. Within a couple of days I had eight rather large specimens in hand, or rather actually on our own front and back porch awaiting processing. Can you eat big pumpkins, people ask? This summary from the University of Nebraska Extension Service tells all. Yes, is the short answer.

One of these large orange orbs, I found, can yield up to fourteen cups of pumpkin pulp. But, as my research revealed, pumpkin is really the all purpose fruit/vegetable. You can sneak pumpkin pulp into just about everything. It can be the star of the dish (think pumpkin curry for instance) or it can just enhance the texture and add nutritional nuances. It can be incorporated into an almost infinite variety of sweet baked goods or savory treats.

I’m down to three pumpkins to process, and still thinking of ways to use it. I’ve done pumpkin biscuits, cookies, butter, soup, bars, hummus (this is particularly good), and I am excited to try next a pumpkin gnocchi with sage butter. I just did an online search to find recipes for most of these inspirations, though my friend Sallie sent me her secret pumpkin butter recipe. (Sorry, not sharing that!)

Despite all my pumpkin cooking efforts with fresh pulp and chunks, our freezer is also full of containers of processed pumpkin. So it is really the gift that keeps on giving. In summary, I feel my campaign to Save the Pumpkins has been a big success. Here are some photos of the adventures. Happy New Year to you all, and may your year be as fruitful as my pumpkin escapades!